ADL’s – Grooming and Dressing
Lesson 3
Grooming and Self-Esteem and Perceptions
Grooming is a form of self-care and self-nurturance. It is also a form of personal expression. Choices in grooming affect our feelings about ourselves. They also influence how other's feel about us. People choose to dress and groom in a wide variety of ways.Defining DSP Roles With Grooming Support
Direct support professional roles vary depending on the needs of the person. If you have taken the other lessons in this course, you should have a pretty good idea about the needs of persons you are supporting. As a reminder you should know the following:
· The person's physical support needs. What things are you supposed to complete for the person? What things are you assisting with? Are you teaching, demonstrating, or simply doing for the person?
· The person's cognitive, mental health, or developmental needs. Does the person have barriers and challenges that may affect behavior, judgment, or communication?
· The person's cultural and personal preferences. What preferred products, styles, routines, or habits are important to the person?
Barriers to Personal Choice
People who need help with dressing and grooming may also have barriers to expression of choice. These barriers will depend upon the individual. For example, many people with developmental disabilities may not have had opportunities to learn about options in these areas. They may not have much experience making choices. They may need guidance on how their choices affect how others may view them.People with other types of disabilities may also have barriers to choice. For instance, people may have limited verbal or communication skills. As a person ages they may change preferences but their adult children may not be comfortable with their choices. Sometimes people may be embarrassed to express their preferences. They may fear the direct support professional will judge them. /
"Here we go again. Time to train in another person. Good-bye to privacy!"
Personal Preferences
· Activity Level
· Community of Choice and Affiliation to Cultural Group
· Employment
· Ethnicity
· Personal Style
· Religion
Activity Level: People who are very active will often need to wash more frequently than sedentary people. As a result, their skin may need special attention to keep from over-drying. They may need to use sunscreen, special lip balm, or bug spray more often. Activity level may also influence choice of dress. People who like to be active in certain ways may choose clothing to fit these needs. They may carry items in a strap-on pack rather than a purse or briefcase. They may choose shoes and other clothing based on durability and function, rather than appearance.
Community of Choice and Affiliation to Cultural Groups: People have different levels of connection to their communities and cultures. Often when people choose to be an active member of a community they also choose to groom and dress like others in the group. In some groups, grooming and hygiene practices may be outside of the mainstream. For example, a greasy or unclean appearance or a strong personal body odor may be acceptable or even expected. Forms of dress can vary a lot from group to group.
Employment: The work tasks and environment of where a person works will usually influence choices in grooming, dress, and to some extent hygiene. Customer services jobs will be different than factory or warehouse jobs. Office jobs are different than maintenance jobs. Some jobs may have strictly defined dress codes and hygiene expectations. Other jobs may not define dress, grooming, or hygiene at all.
Ethnicity: Ethnic groups often have strong preferences for type of dress and grooming choices. Things such as length or style of hair or the maintenance of facial hair are often defined by ethnicity. A person's ethnic background may define how often to wash or what products to use.
Personal Style: Many people have a personal style that they identify with. This is more common among teenagers who are more concerned about differences and establishing themselves. Terms such as "studious, hippie, crunchy, geek, Goth, professional, preppy, classic, gangsta, conservative, and alternative" are some of the ways in which people may describe themselves or others may describe them. These may be meaningful to some people and not to others. Some people are flexible in their personal style. Others are more rigid.
Religion: People from different religions may have different beliefs about what they can wear and how they should look. Some people identify more than others with their religion. Religion can be a part of a person's community. Some religions require a person to wear certain types of clothing, including saris, veils, or certain colors of clothing. Some religions have very specific rules about what women should wear and what men should wear. The direct support professional will need to be familiar with the religion of the person being supported and their preferences in relation to their religion
Assisting with Dressing
In this lesson you will learn about:
· Providing physical assistance to dress.
· Making helpful changes in the person's home or routine related to clothing and dressing.
· Using assistive technology in dressing routines.
· Teaching people to choose clothing for specific occasions and weather.
· Assisting with caring for and storing clothing.
· Supporting personal choice and independence in dressing.
Make sure you know your support role with each person. These will depend on the needs of the person and/or expectations of the employer
Physically Assisting With Dressing
Here are some general guidelines that will help you be respectful and effective when assisting with dressing.· Allow enough time and give the process your full attention.
· Respect the person's privacy.
· Explain what you are doing as you do it.
· Be aware of your presence in the person's space.
· Offer as much choice and independence as possible and desired.
· Use a gentle but efficient touch.
Allow enough time and give the process your full attention. No one wants to be touched or assisted in a rushed way. This can be very offensive and stressful to the person. Plan ahead and provide each person you support with enough time. This time is needed when the person is learning or completing parts of the routine for him or herself. It will be important to making it a successful experience. Make sure the person has your undivided attention. Don't leave in the middle of a routine. If you must, make sure the person is informed about what you are doing. Ensure that he or she is comfortable and covered before you go. Return immediately.
Respect the person's privacy. Dressing should always be done with as much privacy as possible. Never assist with dressing in a public or shared area. Close doors to rooms before assisting with dressing. There is no need to uncover the person's entire body during dressing. This may leave the person chilled and feeling vulnerable. Uncover and dress in stages or use robes or sheets to keep people covered as necessary. Follow these procedures even with people who do not seem to understand privacy issues. (Such as people with certain mental illnesses, dementia, profound intellectual disabilities, or similar conditions.)
Explain what you are doing as you do it. This will reduce the chance that the person is startled during routines. It will help them feel more comfortable with your touch. Use a calm, friendly and professional voice. Avoid silly or sing-song voices unless working with very young children (under 8 years old). Use your voice even with people who do not appear to hear or understand your words. Avoid lots of talking during routines, unless the person clearly prefers to talk
Be aware of your presence in the person's space. Make sure your hands are warm. Take care in your grooming to avoid strong personal odors. This would include using good hygiene, avoiding strong smelling foods before assisting, and ensuring scents from colognes or personal products do not bother the person. Be aware that some people who have asthma can have wheezing and difficulty breathing when near people who wear cologne or perfumed products. Respect the person's personal items. Don't comment on the items. If you have to move them, return them to the order the person prefers at the end of the routine.
Offer as much choice and independence as possible and desired. Reflect on routines and environments so that the person has as much control over the situation as possible. In some cases you are being hired to complete the full task. However, in general people prefer to care for themselves as much as they can. During the routines, look for opportunities for independence and choice.
Use a gentle but efficient touch. Touching a person in personal care routines is an art. It's inappropriate to linger in touching. But it is jarring and alarming to be touched too abruptly. Pace your touch to complete the job gently and completely. Be careful to ensure that you are not pulling or tugging on a person's body. Keep the person situated comfortably. The less ability the person has to communicate and control his or her body, the more careful you must be to ensure you are not injuring the person or causing discomfort during dressing.
Physically Assisting With Dressing
Take the following steps when physically assisting with dressing.1. Greet the person and check in on the day.
2. Gather everything that is needed so that the routine is not interrupted.
3. When the person is ready to dress, position the person comfortably.
4. Follow the person's preferred routine for order of dressing.
5. Check in at the end of the routine to ensure the person is comfortable. /
Some people will need complete assistance with dressing.
1. Greet the person and check in on the day. See if the person has any needs before dressing (for example, using the toilet, getting a cup of coffee, etc.). Find out about the day and clothing choices. Complete this step even with people who do not appear to hear or understand you
2. Gather everything that is needed so that the routine is not interrupted as you go hunt for a missing item. Let the person complete this step if able and willing. The following is a list of items that may be needed: a bra, underwear, socks/hose/tights, shoes/slippers, pants/shirt, shirt/blouse, belt, and hat/scarf.
3. When the person is ready to dress, position the person comfortably. Positioning can make a big difference in comfort and independence. If a person does not have good balance, sitting on the edge of the bed or in a wheelchair can help. Some people may need to lie down to be dressed. Other people may be able to put some of their own clothes on, but need help with certain articles of clothing. You may need to try different positions and be creative in how to assist them in order to allow him or her to be as involved as possible.
4. Follow the person's preferred routine for order of dressing. Only uncover the part of the body you are dressing at the time. Keep the person warm and comfortable. Let people do as much as they can and want to do for themselves
5. Check in at the end of the routine to ensure the person is comfortable. Make sure there is no binding or twisting of clothing. Make sure the person is satisfied with the look and comfort of the clothing. Make sure that traditional, religious, or other cultural aspects of dress are completed properly. Many have a certain technique that must be followed. You can learn these from the person and his or her family or friend
Environmental Changes and Assistive Devices
Rearranging items in the person's home and using assistive devices can make life easier for the person. It can allow the person to handle things for him or herself. An example of an environmental change is hanging or storing clothing in places that the person can reach. Lowering closet rods, using special shoe racks and other shelving or storage systems are just a few of the ways to make modifications to a closet.There are also assistive devices that can assist a person to get dressed. These items can often be purchased. A good place to look for these devices is in stores or catalogues that specialize in services to people who are elderly. They may include a device to grip and pull up socks. Another is a shoe horn with a long handle, for people who have trouble bending to pull on their shoes. Putting handles on items or using strategically placed rods or other items that a person can pull or hold on to can make a big difference in the person's freedom to move and dress. /
Environmental modifications can help a person have more control and choice.
Assistive devices can help people with limited mobility.
Options in Clothing Selection
Choice of clothing can make it easier to dress. Choosing the right clothes can lead to more independence. It can also lead to a quicker, less stressful dressing routine. For example, if someone has difficulty buttoning a shirt, he or she can purchase a pullover or one that zips. Clothing that has Velcro™, zippers, and elastic waistbands can be easier to put on than garments that have many buttons or hooks. Women can use bras with front closures. Slip-on shoes are becoming more stylish and common.
Be careful to maintain the person's dignity when helping with clothing choices. People who dress inappropriately for their age or their circumstances stand out, and not in a good way. Do not make modifications that call attention to the person in an unflattering or disrespectful way.